cotiza.A useful cleaning quote starts with the work you expect to do. A price copied from another business cannot tell you how long this home will take, what you will spend getting there, or what work the customer expects. Use your own assumptions, then check them against the completed job.
1. Agree on the scope before choosing a number
Write down the rooms, approximate condition, included tasks and any extras. Cleaning inside an oven or refrigerator can change the time required. Note who provides supplies, how you will enter the home and what happens if the requested work changes. A short, specific scope gives both people the same starting point.
2. Estimate time and direct costs
Choose an hourly rate for this estimate. It is your input, not a recommended market rate. Estimate the hours and add the supplies and travel costs for this visit. If you include travel or setup time in the hours, use the same convention when recording actual hours later. Travel dollars and travel time are different inputs; record each once in its appropriate place.
The calculator uses: labor = hours × hourly rate; subtotal = labor + supplies + travel; quote = subtotal + contingency buffer. The buffer is a percentage of the subtotal, not a guaranteed profit margin. Labor and buffer are rounded separately to the nearest cent, with half cents rounded up.
3. Try a worked example
These are invented inputs to explain the arithmetic, not local price guidance:
| Input | Example |
|---|---|
| Estimated hours | 3 |
| Your hourly rate | $35.00 |
| Labor | $105.00 |
| Supplies | $8.00 |
| Travel costs | $7.00 |
| Subtotal | $120.00 |
| Buffer, 10% of subtotal | $12.00 |
| Quote total | $132.00 |
Change the hours to four while keeping the other inputs the same: labor becomes $140.00, subtotal $155.00, buffer $15.50 and quote $170.50. That $38.50 difference shows why the time estimate matters. Open the free calculator and replace every sample number with your own.
4. Check the quote before sharing
Confirm the total, currency, scope, exclusions and when the quote expires. The calculator does not automatically add taxes, insurance, equipment replacement or other overhead. Account for relevant business costs when choosing your rate; the displayed remainder is not accounting net profit. If the scope changes, agree on a revised quote rather than silently changing the original.
5. Close the loop after the job
Save how long the job actually took and what you spent. An estimate becomes more useful when you compare it with the result. The companion guide explains how to calculate earnings after direct costs and use that result for the next quote.